Optimal Practices for Website Development
On January 15, 2024 by henryrIntroduction
The realm of website development in the digital landscape is dynamic and fiercely competitive. To establish a formidable presence, businesses must employ effective strategies that align with the latest trends and cater to the specific needs of their target audience. Successful marketing in the digital realm plays an important role in generating demand, which subsequently translates into sales, ultimately aiming for revenue (Solomons, D., Kliphuis, T., & Wadley, M, 2022, p.6).
In present day context, online shopping has witnessed unprecedented popularity, particularly fueled by the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. The necessity for safety and convenience led many individuals to embrace online shopping during the lockdowns. Even as pandemic restrictions eased, a significant number of customers opted to continue their online shopping habits, finding it to be a simpler alternative to a traditionally tedious task. The allure of convenience and speed further entices customers to explore online shopping, amplified by the influence of social media (Solomons, D., Kliphuis, T., & Wadley, M, 2022, p.9).
Implementing optimal strategies for a business’s digital marketing involves ensuring a seamless User Experience (UX), potentially incorporating blog posts, optimizing for Search Engines, and employing exceptional website design.
User Experience (UX)
Businesses aspire for their customers to have positive experiences, anticipating their return and the likelihood of recommending the brand (Solomons, D., Kliphuis, T., & Wadley, M, 2022, p.98). A stellar User Experience (UX) not only impresses and attracts customers but also serves as a distinguishing factor, setting a brand apart from competitors and establishing a competitive edge (Solomons, D., Kliphuis, T., & Wadley, M, 2022, p.138). Conversely, a poor UX may not only repel visitors but also result in a decline in revenue.
Positive user experience is undeniably advantageous for business. Research indicates that companies prioritizing UX investment witness a reduction in customer acquisition costs, lower support expenses, heightened customer retention, and expanded market share, as highlighted in a study conducted by Forrester. A comparison with industry peers reveals that the top 10 companies excelling in customer experience surpass the S&P index, achieving nearly triple the returns. On average, Forrester Research indicates that each dollar invested in UX yields a remarkable return of $100, translating to an impressive ROI of 9,900 percent. (Kucheriavy, 2015, November 19)
Blog Posts
James Parsons, CEO of Content Powered, emphasizes the importance of blogging for businesses, outlining eight key reasons:
- Drives Traffic: Blogging enhances website visibility, attracting organic traffic from search engine results.
- Builds Authority and Trust: Showcasing knowledge in blog content establishes trust, making a brand more appealing to potential customers.
- Provides Social Media Content: Blog posts are easily shareable on social media, offering a continuous stream of engaging content.
- Content Repurposing: Blogs can be repurposed into various formats, extending their value, and reaching new audiences.
- Direct Communication: Blogs facilitate two-way communication, addressing customer questions and concerns directly.
- Individual Thought Leadership: Blogs serve as a resource for individuals, allowing CEOs to leverage content, experiences, and opinions for personal branding.
- Networking Opportunities: Well-run blogs attract collaboration requests, quotes, and interviews, opening doors to various opportunities.
- Compounds Over Time: Blogging’s compounding nature leads to sustained returns, with the potential to significantly contribute to sales over time.
Parsons argues that while blogging requires investment, its long-term returns make it indispensable for modern businesses. (Parsons, 2021)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Berkeley Extension highlights the strategic benefits of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), including increased web traffic and qualified leads. The top 8 SEO benefits are:
- Organic Traffic: Elevates website ranking for increased organic traffic.
- Cost-Effective Leads: Efficient inbound marketing with a higher conversion rate.
- Brand Awareness: First-page Google ranking enhances visibility and trust.
- Competitive Edge: Analyzing and surpassing competitors for a stronger online presence.
- Mobile Optimization: Vital for reaching a broader audience and improving Google rankings.
- Trust Building: Quality content and engagement contribute to building trust.
- Marketing Enhancement: Complements other marketing efforts, providing valuable insights.
- Offline Impact: Drives people to physical stores through local searches, increasing foot traffic.
(Berkeley Boot Camps, 2022)
Ensuring a website is optimized for search engines should also mean optimizing it for users. When executed correctly, this process enhances the user experience and ensures effective indexing and ranking by search engines. (Solomons, D., Kliphuis, T., & Wadley, M, 2022, p.127)
Website Design
Web development involves converting completed web designs into fully functional, interactive websites. It breathes life into static designs, allowing users to access the website via web browsers. This is achieved by translating designs into web coding languages that browsers can interpret and display (Solomons, D., Kliphuis, T., & Wadley, M, 2022, p.177).
Technical proficiency is crucial for web design success, involving coding skills in HTML, XHTML, Flash, JavaScript, and proficiency in graphic-editing software like Photoshop and InDesign. Familiarity with server-side technologies like .Net and PHP is also essential. (ECPI University, n.d.)
Summary
Successful website development today involves prioritizing:
- User Experience (UX): Ensure a seamless UX for customer attraction and retention.
- Blogging: Use blogs for visibility, authority building, and sustained engagement.
- SEO: Optimize for organic traffic, cost-effective leads, and brand visibility.
- Website Design: Proficiency in coding and graphic-editing software is essential.
Integrate these practices for a strong online presence, customer attraction, and revenue growth.
Work Cited:
Solomons, D., Kliphuis, T., & Wadley, M. (2022). EMarketing: The Essential Guide to Marketing in a Digital World. Red & Yellow Creative School for Business.
Kucheriavy, A. (2017, October 11). Council post: Good UX is good business: How to reap its benefits. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2015/11/19/good-ux-is-good-business-how-to-reap-its-benefits/?sh=6526cf814e51
Parsons, J. (2021, April 28). Council post: Eight reasons blogging is a worthwhile investment for businesses. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2021/04/28/eight-reasons-blogging-is-a-worthwhile-investment-for-businesses/?sh=750eae2a4bdc
8 business-boosting benefits of SEO. Berkeley Boot Camps. (2022, February 25). https://bootcamp.berkeley.edu/blog/benefits-of-seo/
ECPI University. (n.d.). Why is web design important?. https://www.ecpi.edu/blog/why-is-web-design-important
RJ your post was an informative, meaningful, and well-organized display of marketing fundamentals. I love the format; it allowed for a break for the eyes, while creating bulleted main points for ease of reading. The content will be easily recollected when applying these aspects.
My favorite line of the post from your well documented reference was the 1:100 cost to savings ratio for an enjoyable user experience investment. Nice touch with the added photos to supplement the information without drawing too much attention from the content.
My only note is a large heading/subheading font would help block out these sections more for digestible sizes, adding to the innate organization you generated throughout the post.
This is a really great post that highlights the necessity for web developers to focus on the UX experience of their websites. Particularly, I really enjoyed it when you said “Research indicates that companies prioritizing UX investment witness a reduction in customer acquisition costs, lower support expenses, heightened customer retention.” Not only does it show that making an initial investment in planning and organizing a website’s content is important, from a visitor’s perspective, but it shows how this initial planning can result in potential increased sales, visitor website engagement and ensure that visitors come back to your website to check out updates and new content regularly. Many times, I feel like many branded websites only try to attract new visitors and don’t focus on ensuring they come back regularly to check out new content and updates. It is a really great callout that can lead to better web development overall.